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Review
. 2025 Jan;81(1):4-19.
doi: 10.1111/jan.16244. Epub 2024 May 29.

Inpatients' experiences of falls: A qualitative meta-synthesis

Rebecca J Jarden  1   2 , Katherine Cherry  1 , Emma Sparham  1 , Naomi Brockenshire  2 , Mina Nichols-Boyd  3 , Simone Burgess  1 , Kate Grieve  1 , Bernadette Twomey  1 , Jessica Walters  1 , Nonie Rickard  1
Affiliations
Review

Inpatients' experiences of falls: A qualitative meta-synthesis

Rebecca J Jarden et al. J Adv Nurs. 2025 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: Identify and synthesize published qualitative research reporting inpatient experiences of a fall to determine novel insights and understandings of this longstanding complex problem.

Research design: Qualitative meta-synthesis.

Methods: Online databases were searched to systematically identify published research reporting inpatient experiences of a fall. The included studies were inductively analysed and interpreted then reported as a meta-synthesis.

Data sources: Databases Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Ovid Emcare, CINAHL Complete, Scopus and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global were searched on 3rd August, 2023.

Results: From 10 included publications, four new themes of inpatients' experiences of a fall were constructed. Themes one, two and three related to antecedents of patient falls, and theme four related to consequences. Theme one, 'My foot didn't come with me: Physiological and anatomical changes', encompassed patients' experiences of medical conditions, medication, and anatomical changes. These aspects contributed to alterations in balance and strength, and misconceptions of capability in activities of daily (inpatient) living. Theme two, 'I was in a hurry: Help-seeking', encompassed patients' experiences striving for independence while balancing power and control, minimizing their own needs over care of others', and unavailability of support. Theme three, 'I couldn't find the call light: Environment and equipment', encompassed patients' experiences of not being able to reach or use equipment, and environment changes. Theme four, 'It was my fault too: Blame and confidence', encompassed patients' expressions of blame after their fall, blame directed at both themselves and/or others, and impacts on confidence and fear in mobilizing.

Conclusions: Inpatient falls are embedded in a complexity of individual, relational, and environmental factors, yet there are potential ways forward both informed and led by the patient's voice. Strength-based approaches to address the tenuous balance between independence and support may be one opportunity to explore as a next step in complementing the existing multifaceted interventions.

Impact: Inpatient falls are a complex and costly health safety and quality problem. Despite global initiatives in the prevention of inpatient falls, they remain intractable. This meta-synthesis provides an in-depth exploration of extant qualitative data on patients' experiences of falls in hospitals. Four themes were constructed expressing the inpatients' experiences: physiological and anatomical changes, help-seeking, environment and equipment, and blame and confidence. Novel considerations for future investigation are offered, drawing from self-determination theory and positive psychological interventions.

Implications for patient care: This meta-synthesis elicits new considerations for future interventions based on people's experiences of their fall in hospital, offering healthcare professionals novel directions in fall prevention.

Reporting method: The review was reported according to the Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research statement (ENTREQ; Tong et al., 2012).

Patient or public contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution.

Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023445279.

Keywords: experiences; falls; hospital; inpatients; perceptions; qualitative meta‐synthesis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flowchart illustrating search and screening process.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Themes and subthemes of inpatient experiences of falls.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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